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IL1 Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders

SWB RailRiders Game Notes - Governor's Cup Finals Game 5

September 15, 2018 - International League (IL1)
Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders News Release


International League Playoffs

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders (2-2) vs. Durham Bulls (2-2)

RH Domingo Gérman (0-0, 0.00) vs. LH Kyle Bird (1-0, 0.00)

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| Governor's Cup Championship Series | Game 5 | September 15, 2018 |

| PNC Field | Moosic, PA |

| First Pitch 4:05 p.m. | Pregame Show 3:35 p.m. |

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LAST TIME OUT: Facing elimination and needing a win to keep the 2018 season alive, the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders delivered a 5-2 win over the Durham Bulls on Friday night at PNC Field. The victory evened the best-of-five Governors' Cup Finals at 2-2 with a winner-take-all Game 5 set for Saturday.

The RailRiders got on the board in the top of the first when Giovanny Urshela drove a solo home run into the bullpen in left field to hand the club an early 1-0 lead. Mike Ford singled and Ryan McBroom walked to put runners on first and second with two outs, but Zach Lee was able to escape the jam without further problems. In the top of the third Shane Robinson greeted Lee with a leadoff double and advanced to third on a groundout by Urshela to second base. Ford worked a full count before lifting a sacrifice fly to right, plating Robinson and expanding the lead to 2-0.

Scranton/Wilkes-Barre broke the game open in the top of the fifth when Mark Payton led off with a single against Jordan Harrison. Robinson laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance Payton to second, and Urshela was intentionally walked to put two runners on base. Ford drove a 2-0 pitch from the southpaw Harrison over the wall in left to expand the gap to 5-0. Durham scored once in the seventh and once in the eighth to close the cap and scoring.

Ryan Bollinger was superb in getting the starting nod and win for the RailRiders. The southpaw who spent last season pitching overseas in Germany threw 5.2 shutout innings, allowing just three hits, walking one and striking out six. Lee took the loss for the Bulls.

#FOR THE CUP: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and Durham meet today to decide the 2018 International League Championship. The Bulls have won five league titles while the RailRiders are seeking their third title in franchise history. Today's winner will play Tuesday at Huntington Park in the Triple-A National Championship Game against the victor of the Fresno and Memphis series in the Pacific Coast League. Memphis leads that series 2-1 with game four this evening at 7:35 p.m. EST.

RUN IT BACK: The 2018 Governor's Cup finals are a rematch of the 2017 championship round. Scranton/Wilkes-Barre ousted Lehigh Valley- the IL North champions- Saturday night in Allentown, Pa. while the Durham Bulls sent Toledo home with a 3-1 series win. In 2017, the Bulls ended the RailRiders season with a 3-1 title series win before capturing the Triple-A National Championship at PNC Field over the Memphis Redbirds.

STORM SHIFTS SERIES: On Tuesday afternoon, the International League announced that the entire Governor's Cup Championship Series will be played at PNC Field due to Hurricane Florence. Durham served as the home team in Games 3 and 4, and will once again be the home club today.

BACK TO THE TOP: Domingo Gérman makes his second start of the series and third for Scranton/Wilkes-Barre this season. The right-hander was added to the RailRiders roster during the Lehigh Valley series but did not pitch. In Tuesday's championship series opener against Durham, Gérman pitched three innings, allowed one hit and struck out five.

BOOSTED: Friday's five-run performance was the second highest run total by Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the post-season, trailing only the seven-spot in game four of the first round set against Lehigh Valley. On Friday, the RailRiders hit two home runs in a single game for the first time this postseason.

GOING LOW: Scranton/Wilkes-Barre starting pitchers have allowed eight runs on 25 hits over 44.2 innings pitched during the postseason; a 1.61 ERA over eight games.

MVP CALIBER: Giovanny Urshela is batting .333 in the title series with a home run and three runs scored. Mark Payton is hitting .294 in this series and has scored twice. Mike Ford has a .286 average over four games with two home runs and a series-best six runs batted in. Former RailRider Rob Refsnyder has a .353 average with two home runs and three runs batted in. Kean Wong leads all players with a .357 batting average in this series.

BULLISH SEASON: Durham claimed the IL South title with a 79-60 record; 9.0 games ahead of the Gwinnett Stripers. The Bulls had the league's 3rd-best batting average (.259), 2nd-most HR (141) and led the IL in runs scored (653). Durham's pitching staff posted a 3.54 ERA (3rd overall) and struck out a league-high 1,267 batters. The Bulls took two of three in each series against the RailRiders during the 2018 regular season.

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